


Brothers

by cunieform



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2013-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-21 13:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/901084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cunieform/pseuds/cunieform
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>literally just the opening scene but from yancy's perspective.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers

It's 2:00 am and I'm being shaken awake by Raleigh. The kid is excited as always as we don our leather jackets emblazoned with Gipsy Danger's ensignia, which we promptly remove once we get suited up. We know it's stupid, but we also know it's really cool. As Jaeger pilots, defenders of the Earth and more or less celebrities, we are allowed this sort of behavior. The only person who would or even can judge us is Pentecost. We're a team of loose cannons in his eyes, and maybe he's right. But we're good at what we do, so as long as we down Kaijus for him, he's happy.

Raleigh and I banter as usual. "Don't get cocky, kid," I tell him. But we both know neither of us takes that too seriously. We enter the head of Gipsy Danger and initiate a Neural Handshake.

There's nothing quite like the Drift. My brother and I are connected mentally. I think what he thinks. He knows what I know. For a while, we are almost the same person. We relive our memories: playing together as kids; fighting together as teens; mom’s cooking; dad’s discipline; our first roller coaster; watching Trespasser wreck San Fransisco back on the news in 2013 and our father physically shaking in fear. Our brains reach out and grip each other tightly. A firm, professional handshake as Gipsy accepts the job. The contract signed, Gipsy’s cranium descends onto her torso and screws into place. We’re on the move.

  
The Kaiju that we are up against today is called Knifehead. It’s about to surface some miles off the coast of Alaska. Pentecost says to ignore the fishing boat in the way and focus on protecting the mainland. We pretend not to hear him. By the time we reach our destination, Knifehead is already above water. I bend down and scoop up the boat, placing it behind us and giving a gentle push to send it on its way. Now we fight.

Gipsy starts out with a few good hooks, left and right, then a pile-driver to send the beast sprawling. It gets up and attacks us. We manage to charge the plasmacaster in my hand and fire point-blank. Knifehead goes down and we start to walk away.

Before we can react, Knifehead’s back up again, and Gipsy’s missing Raleigh’s arm. He’s screaming. The Kaiju goes for the head and I yell to Raleigh, trying to calm him down. I never hear Knifehead crack open Gipsy’s skull. I only feel it pulling me out, tangled in the supports and wirings. I’m screaming, and my vision is obscured by tears. I’m dying. I’m going to die. My brain screams for Raleigh to help, but I know it’s too late. Knifehead begins to squeeze and I can feel my ribcage collapse, bones poking painfully into the organs they’re meant to protect. As a rib fragment punctures my heart, I can feel Raleigh’s thoughts, still in the Drift. He can feel my fear, my pain. Helplessness. But from him I can feel something, too. Beyond the terror, beyond the loss, something burns. Something wild, more ferocious than even the worst of Kaiju. A determination I’ve never known from anyone in my life. The words drift into my brain crisp and clear, instead of just vague impressions of thoughts. If only the Kaiju could feel it, it would be more scared than even I am, at the edge of death.

Raleigh says, _give my brother back,_ and, for only the second time in recorded history, he begins to pilot the Jaeger single-handedly. And I know. I know that even though I’m going to die here, even though Gipsy Danger is wounded, I know she will not fall. I know that I’m leaving her in good, capable hands.

I don’t have any experience, but I would assume that with such a realization, this is the gentlest way to die. I love you, kiddo.


End file.
